Gymnopdie No1
by Milley02
Summary: It had been three years since the Nebelhiem Incident. Promoted to First out of necessity, she tries to slow the deterioration of the SOLDIER Program into Heidegger's mindless canon fodder. Which, according to him, is a plan destined to fail. Her SOLDIERs, however, think otherwise. Either way, this is definitely going to end badly for somebody. ContainsOCs Sort of a Self Insert


**A/N: Hey all! I know I've been really absent for about... 6 months now? I'm still alive, just so you all know, I've just been dealing with a lot in my life - all of it really cramping my writing.**

**That said, none of my stories are on hiatis. In fact, I'm even planning on posting some new chapters soon~!**

**Until then, I hope you enjoy this little story I just wrote - it takes place in the five years between Crisis Core and the main Final Fantasy game, and follows a SOLDIER in my FFVII OC's battalion (who is the main character in a larger fanfiction of mine, that I haven't gotten to posting level yet).**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything to do with Final Fantasy VII. That belongs to Square Enix, etc.**

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"The Commander will see you now"

The 3rd Class SOLDIER nodded curtly towards the young boy sitting at the secretary's desk, then stood from the waiting room seat and walked towards the office door with the name plate _Commander Easton _in all capitals.

The room I walked into was not what I was expecting. Other Firsts had their offices in a spartan style, with barely any personal decoration, but the Commander's office...

There were _plants_. _Live_ plants.

I'd heard the rumors, that once a week the Commander wandered down under the Plate and just disappeared, before returning a few hours later with bouquets of fresh flowers that she then decorated her office with.

The other SOLDIERs called it Flower Day.

No one knew where they came from. But whenever she came back, she would be in a good mood for the rest of the day - so no one complained. No one asked.

A happy commander, meant more paperwork got done. And everyone knew how much she hated paperwork, so much that it piled up over the week, before disappearing all in the one day.

The next thing I noticed was the slow piano music trickling out from a large speaker box sitting against the far wall by the window that showed a wide view of the Midgar cityscape.

Which, now I noticed it, had no signs of the Company's regulation tinting.

Early afternoon sunlight streamed through the unfiltered glass and across a large desk, covered in piles of paperwork, the back of a desk chair casting a small shadow over a humming computer.

"Sir?"

"Come in, Sargeant Lionel. Take a seat" came a voice from the chair. The sounds of shifting papers followed.

"I'd rather stand, sir" I replied, moving to the center of the room.

The voice sighed "suit yourself"

Time passed, the piano music pausing momentarily before starting again and the humming computer the only sounds in room.

"... was there a reason you called me here, sir?"

The sound of shifting papers stopped "do you recognize this music, Sergeant?"

"Sir?"

"Do you recognize this music?"

"... is this some sort of joke?"

"Try. Listen. Take a few minutes to think about it"

I frowned. I get called to the Commander's office, on my day _off,_ so she could ask me about _music_?

... _was_ this some sort of joke?

"Don't make me make it an order, Sergeant"

Sighing, I closed his eyes and listened. After a few bars, the tugs of familiarity began.

Then the song switched over and I found my eyes flying open to meet a pair of mako blue eyes.

"Gymnopdie No.1" I whispered "how did you-?"

The Commander smirked, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her right ear "congratulations, Sergeant" she began "you just made 2nd"

What?

"You'll be reporting directly to me from now on, and I'm having you transferred to my battalion. You'll have your own office just down the hall-"

"What-? How-? _Why?_"

"I like you"

I blushed. She rolled her eyes.

_The **COMMANDER** rolled her eyes._

"You're wondering why someone with your record is now suddenly in line for promotion to First, right?"

Her smirked widened at my dumbfounded nod "it's simple really. I like your issues with authority. I like that you ask questions, instead of just 'following orders'. You think for yourself"

Her smirk dropped "despite what 'others' might think, the ability to articulate and form one's own thoughts, to use one's creative faculties, is important in a SOLIDER. Hell, in any leadership position. It's saved my life more times then I can count - the initiative you took just to name a song from memory speaks volumes of not only your personality, but your taste as well"

"... why is my music taste important?"

"Your music taste reflects your thought process" she answered, a bit smug "it's a psychological thing I picked up on a while back when I was stuck in the psych labs"

I raised an eyebrow. Psych labs? But she moved on as if it was a passing comment.

"Anyway, enough chit chat, here are your orders" she handed me a folded sheet of paper with the Shinra letterhead "I've already sent a copy off to your batallion commander, so just grab your stuff and report here bright and early Monday morning"

"Monday? But it's Thursday, sir"

"And this was meant to be your day off, yet here you are" she raised an eyebrow "my advice, take the free vacation leave and get out of my office already, m'kay? I've got stuck doing that idiot Heidegger's paperwork again..."

Already halfway to the door, I stopped mid step, looking back at my new commanding officer with an incredulous expression.

"Oh, don't start" she scolded "the bastard knows exactly what I think about him - hell, I've said worse to his face" then she starting cackling to herself, obviously caught in the memory of one such incident.

The newly promoted 2nd Class SOLDIER edged slowly out of the office, a shell-shocked look on my face.

Then turned to see what looked like half the battalion crowding around the kid-secretary's desk, smirking.

One stepped forward, slapping a hand on my shoulder, a good-natured smile on his face "welcome to the crazy club, kid"

What had I gotten myself into?

_Signed,_  
_2nd Class SOLDIER Jack Lionel_

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**A/N: Thanks for reading!**

**Remember, reviews mean chapters! Cause seriously, I'm forgetfull as hell. I like pushy readers... makes me feel like people actually like what I write.**

**As usual, first to review gets a cameo as a their own character/s. I'm also looking for a beta reader for any of my stories - though specifically my Final Fantasy VII stuff at the moment.**

**Thanks,**  
**Milley02**


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